Recession
/rɪˈsɛʃən/noun
A significant decline in economic activity across the economy lasting more than a few months.
Did you know?It comes from the same Latin root as “cede” and “cede the floor,” carrying the ancient idea of withdrawing, yielding, or moving backward rather than any mystical curse.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ked-
“to go, yield, or move”
Latin
Latin
cedere
“to go, yield, withdraw”
Latin
Latin
recedere
“to go back, retreat, withdraw”
Late Latin
Latin
recessio
“a withdrawing, retreat”
Middle French
Old French
recession
“a retreat or withdrawal”
English
English
recession
“a retreat; later, an economic decline”